Sir Alex Ferguson is refusing to accept that the title race is as a two-horse race already - but the Manchester United boss would not be surprised if that is how it ends up.

Sir Alex Ferguson is refusing to accept that the title race is as a two-horse race already - but the Manchester United boss would not be surprised if that is how it ends up.

With United maintaining their position at the top of the Premier League by beating West Ham on Wednesday, neighbours City remaining unbeaten and neither West Brom nor Chelsea able to win in midweek, a gap has suddenly opened up between the Manchester duo and the rest.

A point in front of City, the Reds are now seven ahead of third-placed Chelsea, sparking fears of a runaway, as was the case last season when Arsenal were an incredible 19 points behind the pair who were split by the tightest of goal difference margins.

"You can't be certain of saying it's going to be a two-horse race at this stage," said Ferguson.

"But over the years we've said that the top five or six are all capable of winning the league and eventually it does ends up being a two-horse race. Year after year it's been like that.

"There was space between the two teams and others last year.

"The important thing to do is just look at yourselves - we want to be up there all the time. We need to stay up there and this is not an easy league to do it in."

If United beat relegation-threatened Reading at the Madejski Stadium, it will mean they head to the Etihad Stadium in top spot next weekend, just as they did last April when Kompany did so much damage to their hopes of a record 20th championship.

Since then, Ferguson has seemed almost obsessed by the need to improve United's scoring record.

Yet he now concedes it is the strength of his side's defence that could be the major factor.

"Good defenders win you leagues," he said. "There is no question about that."

To that end, news of Nemanja Vidic's imminent return from knee surgery is a major plus.

There is still a feeling that Vidic's partnership with Rio Ferdinand is the best United have open to them, even if the latter man's appearances are having to be restricted these days as well.

"I gave Rio a rest the other night with tomorrow's game in mind," said Ferguson.

"With Chris Smalling and Phil Jones back it definitely gives me the right type of problem."

Ferguson accepted the irony of a situation that just as he is starting to see some easing in the defensive nightmare he has endured since the season began, now his wide players should start falling by the wayside.

Nani and Antonio Valencia have been ruled out of the Reading trip with hamstring and hip injuries respectively, whilst Ashley Young's form has not been the same since he returned from a knee problem.

Our newspapers include the flagship Manchester Evening News - Britain's largest circulating
regional daily with up to 130,485 copies - as well as 20 local weekly titles across Greater
Manchester, Cheshire and Lancashire.

Free morning newspaper, The Metro, published every weekday, is also part of our portfolio,
delivering more than 200,000 readers in Greater Manchester.

Greater Manchester Business Week is the region’s number one provider of business news andfeatures, targeting a bespoke business audience with 12,687 copies every Thursday.

Every month, M.E.N. Media’s print products reach 2.2 million adults, spanning from Accrington
in the north to Macclesfield in the south.